DoxyPEP FAQS
- Within 3 days, or 72 hours, of a condomless sexual encounter
- Take 2 tablets, or 200 mg, of Doxycycline
- Just 1 time, or no more than one dose per day
When taking DoxyPEP, you should also keep in mind that:
- It will be most effective if you take it within the first 24 hours, so treat it like a morning-after medication
- Although it is safe to take daily, do not take more than 200mg in one day
- Take it with 8 oz of water and food, if possible, to help decrease any potential side effects like nausea or headaches
- Some people are more sensitive to the sun when they take it, so be sure to wear sunscreen and/or stay covered when spending extended time outdoors
- It is safe to take PrEP for HIV and DoxyPEP at the same time.
- DoxyPEP treatment is not 100% protective, but recent studies have shown that it can decrease your likelihood of contracting syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea by about 60%.
- Since this treatment method is relatively new, we are still learning about the effects of DoxyPEP on the ‘good’ bacteria of the gut, the bacteria that live on our skin (for example, staph), and possible resistance to STIs such as gonorrhea.
- Doxycycline is not a new medication, but this use of it is. Doxycycline has long been used as a common antibiotic due to its safety, mild potential side effects, and low cost.
- Chlamydia and syphilis have shown no resistance to doxycycline, despite it having been used as a common antibiotic for decades.
- Patients taking DoxyPEP will need to follow-up with their primary-care provider every three months for routine STI testing, standard bloodwork, and refills on the DoxyPEP prescription.
- If you are having symptoms of an STI while taking DoxyPEP or have a known exposure to an STI, please come in to get tested and treated – otherwise, continue your routine testing every three months.
- We may reach out to you via MyChart at some point in the months after your start DoxyPEP to ask about your experience with it. This helps us to learn more about the patient experience with it so we can make any needed adjustments or improvements to how we offer DoxyPEP.